Orakpo's Rookie Hazing

I missed the rookie hazing of Kevin Barnes and Robert Henson, who were tied up to the goalposts following Monday evening's practice. I was sad. But then Brian Orakpo and J.D. Skolnitsky got tied up today, where they received ice water baths, Gatorade showers, and wet towel treatments. That made me happy.

"Albert's the main culprit," Orakpo told us. "If you all know Albert, he's the main culprit. He wants somebody got every day, so don't be surprised to see this tomorrow."

Busy schedule. I'd argue for two-a-days, but I'm not in charge. Apparently the DL rookies also have to fetch water for the veterans at meetings and pay fines for all sorts of violations, but this was worse.

"We basically was dying with cold water down our heads, like brain freeze," Orakpo said. "It felt good for the first five times, then it kept repeating and everybody started coming with different stuff and objects and then it started getting real cold."

London Fletcher and Cornelius Griffin and Haynesworth were the main instigators, but the defensive backs helped out, with Carlos Rogers devising the Gatorade cans lodged behind the players' heads. No, he didn't just accidentally drop the can there.

"That's from Carlos Rogers, so thank you for that," Orakpo said.

(The first-rounder hogged most of the interviews, while Skolnitsky was left in peace. "I don't really care to be interviewed," the latter said. "This isn't the most flattering position to be in.")

Orakpo pointed out that today's victims were taped much tighter than yesterday's, who were just "chillin." He said he could have run away before things started, since there had been chatter all afternoon about what was coming, but he was warned he'd be targeted every day if he tried to escape. And once the DB's got involved, "they faster than me, I couldn't run from them," Orakpo said.

"So it is what it is," he concluded, marking the first time I've heard that cliche from a man tied up to a goalpost.

As for the lessons learned from such hijinks?

"I learned that being a rookie sucks, that's the main thing," Orakpo said. "I got one season to go through, and next year the next guys will get it and I'll be first on board."

"If you're a rookie, you're a rookie," Skolnitsky added. "It's just part of the deal, I guess."